The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-11-11
THE LOST RECORDS
TAX COLLECTOR cAyANAe REeOYERs
MISSING TAX ROLLS.


Viyed Again Interview with Mr.
George Koppsl on tbs suldeet
New Orleans Times-Damocrat
During the era Of Republican regime in
this State George johnson was the Auditor
and when he disappeared from this city an
investigation Of his Office revealed the faet
that large number Of tho State records per-
tanning 70 his Office were missing and among
them were the rolls Of delinquent taxpayers
for the years 1870, 1871, 1879, 1873,
1874 and 1875.
The opinion WAS freely expressed al that
time that johnson had spirited the records
away in order 70 prevent the discovery
Of certain irregularities. and al thia
fact grew 10 credenoe officers were
placed on the case, but It was a long
time before johnson could be located snd
the tax rolls never were found until tho
whereabouts Of aome OF them we-e brought
tolight by Mr.. Charles Cayahsc, the pro eat
tax collector OF the lower districts, and Can't
Lem Davis. nov commanding the Fifth Sta
The zeal Of Mr.. oavsnas and Capt Davis
has resulted In the recovery Of copies Of
1874, 1879 and 1874 and q mill tax roll
for 1871, and with fair prospects of getting
those OF the other years, Mr., Cavanae re-
ceiyed information that some Of them we're
10 ne possession Of certain persons residing
Mt. CayanAo impaired his information to
Attorney General Cunningham, who in-
atructed Mr., j. q, Moiaei his assistant 70
mako Acknowledgements the parties having the
Tolla In their possession, an they were the
properly Of the State.
When Mfr. Noise visited Judge samboia Il
was concluded not to make afiiilayits againat
the peFeonB in whose possession the rolls
were, but 10 send Capt Lem Davis, who
had ct one time commanded The district and
who was acquainted with the parties, and
make demand for the States property.
Saturday night Sergeant Lpn payla
crossed over 70 Algiers and recovered the
taxpayers for the years 1879 and / a74.
The books wore brought TO the city and
turned over 20 MIR. OaYanae.
The majority Of the records were Ia the
possession Of Mira, fIedmond, the widow Of
m sx-tax collector, and the balance were at
the house Of George Koppel, residing VI NO,
IA Dcihrantie atfeet. Abe rolls nf 1860,
Mi. Cayanac stated that tho first iutiinhtlen
he had OF the existence of these rolls waR that
a taxpayer reading IN Algiers game 10 hta
he had paid hiH taxes for 1872 ami 1875,
and the certificate read From thu original
rolls in the tax eollnetor'a eifoe,n MIR. uav-
anae, knowing the original rolls were miss
ing, visited AlgieTa and received such intor-
nation a. juAtihBd him In leying the matter
| before the Attorney General with the result
Speaking II the value Of thsse rolls, Mr.,
| GaYaneo said; HTha advantage Of having
| the rolls In our possession is that we can ten
| exactly who has been credited for the back
| taxes that have been paid and II any aiterR-
/ tons have been mRde on the rolls
| Mr.. Cayanae said Johnson deceived him
! when he said the books had been STOLEN BY
some one else, and sa "a shat NJ | would
| calling for an Investigation by the Grand
! Jury, he, johnson, would tell all be knew.
Several articles appeared In the .papersi
| the grand iury made the investigation, bub
| whom Mr., johnson came before that body be
| Vas silent, aud nothing could be learned
from him. Inc recovery OF these rolls and
| back taXse should go to- the mortgage Office
| and have the mortgage Inscriptions Against
their property erased; Many neglect this,
! and, IN consequence, should the records IN
| the tax office be lost and the taxpayer should
| have lost his receipts, he would have 70 pey
| again. 10 making new records for those thgt
| cancellation had been made, Those who had
/ lost their roeeiptH, and the cancellation had
not been made had T., pay twice. =,
/ 'eIhe recovery Of these rolls will save q
/ large number of persons from paying twice,
| hut the cases will have TO be passed upon
first, as II is impossible to say whether theaa
59f A9ye R RssR Sap n tP % RS
| possession OK these books. / don't think
| bhe knew anything about the matter. But
| ihe i original parties who eolnrnistPa The
\ cords recovered embiec the tax Gnlleetor-
| slips Of James hnppel and u, J, Redmond,
| who are both dead. The affidavit 70 the Of
4 feet that certain "a Kes appeared paid on the
original rolls through which affidavit got
| the oleT 10 the whereabouts of the records,
was signed BY Geo, hoppeel, q sonof \. kappel,
| When called To account for his knowledge OF
4 the theft h9 said he had suppressed this fact
| Gf their being In his possession to save tile
| honoEo his 4etheR, AZ yet nothing has
pon Ris fafR5F What n eS9 transpts s Ts.
| mains 70 be seen,
1--WE have two reeaipts which are very com,
| promising to- Hadmond- One y receipt
| given To Geo Smith, and signed Richmond,
lQr delinquent taxaa on certain property,
| The entry against that property on the Fe-
| enyerea rolls Teads time e1tended' Iha
signed Redmond, par aswel Nieboils, fpf
properly entered In the name ef Victor His
| torQs. The receipt is for 81, and the rgeoY-
cred rolls show an entry for S. 30, with no
/ credit for payment
Mr. eEnRGE KoPPKL,
son Of tie. tax collector spoken Of, was In
| terVieWed BY TIMES DRMouRAT reporter.
He made HE following statement;
| The statements published about tax
booksst9len, etc., d9 my father and myself
books wore stolen, that they were tempered
with, qr that any Of hin Feoeipts indicate
III lie frat place my father went out Of
Office two years before johnson was Auditor
o. the end of the Republican regime, and
| the emily books iIl his possession were oopiea
Of tho original rolls, which be returned 10
the Auditor when he retired from Office.
These copies have always remained in our
house from the time they were brought there
IN 1879, and as they were nv fathers PR.
Yate Property were neYer called for BY tho
State, but have lain IN an old closet SINCE
the, year 1874, When he Tetired from 9tiiae,
and two years before JQhasQn claimed tnki
his books were stolen, Lately numher. 81
Algerlpe propeTtleR have been advertised foE
sale for taxes q those Years, and PIE oHnefa
found some were marked paid on them, and
1 Raye them d certificate 70 that effect.
mrs. Redmond the wife OF the Republican
tax collector who served the two years after
my father, eame toms With gonle 81 tho, books
thBtAhe had found in her house, and Hpon
examination ADVISED her ~ bring them e
Mr. Cayanae, ind 2 lev days LATER called 81
him and explained what books had and hoT
they wore in my p9ssealton. He stated the
it would benefit the AlgialB people, and
YQl19teered e turn eyer az the Docks had
requeBted, and Mr. gayanae promised, that
they should ~ al times be open to tile ID
bpeetion qf the Algiefa people,
my father being connected with party
h power at that time That was ob9oziops u
tie better class Of people, IL might appear
iilat he Wac tainted with Ito diahuAeats, bui
Mith thsse oid Egis i, Say pgoge Ih gS, thsF.
| office but what was naFked PAID on the org
inal rqllF (Which johnson ihhdn away WttlIi
and on these copies hllu Ehat an Bnch taEei
were Turned III to The State Treasurer 40 thai
time, tor which can show receipts g4Yen e
nX father
@ftThere never was any theft Of these books
nor eould there ever be q theft that the state.
II could connect hiH mama with.
NV publishing tllis Won win greatly ohligo
Yours very FesReatfiilly,
The spanish Conservative G.aaders Bride
London Daily News
After colrlship extending oyer several
years, Henur GAnpy4s del Castillo, e1-Pra,
irier and leader ut tic Conservative party,
J0aquinA az Osma, second daughter 81 ths
Marquis % pqente Boto. Mile, dc Osna
has been ono of the leaders of fashion and .
belle ot the Madrid eoIlrt for the last twelve
gears, She Ia about thirty-siS, 81 middle
height, OF graceful figure. exceedingly az
tingub In her nanners and With regular and
handsome fnataless